


Falling in Place

by Blinding_Comet



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: AU, Arguing, Emotions, Gen, Misunderstandings, Set Within The Heart, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:40:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22267300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blinding_Comet/pseuds/Blinding_Comet
Summary: Ventus and Vanitas both seek shelter in Sora's heart and primarily communicate with him through dreams. They don't always agree on the best way to help the child but that's not going to stop them from trying.
Relationships: Vanitas & Ventus & Young Sora
Comments: 8
Kudos: 53





	Falling in Place

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fisticuffs_bee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fisticuffs_bee/gifts).



It appeared to be a normal day on Destiny Island’s play island. The palm trees were rustling ever so slightly from the wind, the sun was shining down. The only thing out of the ordinary was the fact that little Sora was running along the beach alone. And that two teenage boys were watching him by the waterfall.

“Come on! Don’t you want to beat Riku, for once!” Vanitas egged Sora on through the funnel he had made with his hands.

“It’s a RACE, Vani!” Ventus chastised while grabbing and lowering the other’s hands.

“Yeah! A race he’s gonna WIN,” his darker half growled menacingly while stomping his foot and swinging his arms back away from his other half.

They stood in silence for a while. Tension slowly seeped into the air as Sora stopped to heavily breathe with his hands on his knees. Vanitas crossed his arms in anticipation of how the other would react to what he was about to say. It didn’t seem to matter because Ventus appeared to know exactly what he was going to bring up.

“You know-” Vanitas started in a much lighter tone than one would think he was capable of.

“No,” Ventus answered in a hard tone. 

“Ven…” he meekly tried again.

“No, not yet,” the boy in question snapped. 

Signing deeply, Vanitas tried to keep his temper down, at least in front of Sora. But he’s been trying to bring this up ever since they’d made peace together, and was shut down every time. Ventus’ set jaw told him that he would never agree so soon.

“Sora,” Vanitas called in a lazy voice.

The boy was running over to them in an instant with a big smile on his face, upon reaching them, he stopped, “How was that?” he asked full of excitement, pumping his tiny fist in the air.

“You did great kiddo,” Vanitas replied before crouching down and beckoning Sora closer. 

The child came over eagerly and Vanitas whispered in his ear. Sora looked shocked at first then gave a small serious nod to the black-haired teen. He then proceeded to look off into the horizon dramatically, before rushing off to his right without a word. 

Ventus looks after him sadly, knowing why he was sent off to the other side of the island. 

Vanitas turned to Ventus, with a hardened face. For a moment they both just glared at each other, until Ventus looked away and sighed heavily. The other did not waver. Eventually, Ventus growled, “Out with it,” as menacing as he could, which sounded more like a kitten trying to roar. 

Staring evenly at his other half, Vanitas begin saying what he had to say. “He has to learn how to fight properly eventually.”

Ventus made a face and pointed out the obvious, “He’s just a kid!”

“Yes, but how long until disaster strikes? Don't you want him to be prepared?” his twin argued, making exaggerated motions with his arms.

“Of course I do,” his opposer mumbled while looking away. 

“If I remember correctly, Terra and Aqua were trained from the age of six,” the other tried to reason. 

Head snapping up to glare directly into the eyes of his other, “They had a real master!” he snapped. 

Grabbing Ventus’ outraged arms, Vanitas shook him a little while growling, “We are all that's left! There are no masters anymore!”

The look on Ventus’ face could have pierced through the heart of any man. And though the other felt it himself, he continued. “It’s not much of a choice, if you want him to survive what's coming, we have to train him”

/|_

Ventus never agreed, therefore, it was on Vanitas to begin training. He snuck around Ventus, giving Sora small missions to fight a couple of local crabs. Climb trees to get leaves for no discernible reason. As well as teaching him how to dodge under the guise of playing tag.

“What are you guys doing?” a voice asked softly.

Both Sora and Vanitas froze, in the middle of a reflex match. Eyes on the speaker slowing began to shift toward each other while they remained motionless.

“Dancing!” Vanitas blurted out, before wincing at how stupid that sounded. 

“Dancing… right,” Ventus crossed his arms and rose an eyebrow.

Not willing to back down from his lie, Vanitas responded by grabbing Sora and spinning him around in a circle, “Now, that’s what you’ll do when you grow up and like someone,” he said in a slightly higher pitch tone.

The onlooker rolled his eyes but left them alone.

///

By the end of the year, Sora had been stronger, faster, and more combat-ready. 

Vanitas heard the other coming from a few steps away, as he watched Sora near a tree with a sword. He didn’t count on Ventus clamping a hand on his shoulder, and he flinched back from the contact. Ventus looked at him apologetically, opening his mouth to say; “You did a good job.”  
  
“What?” Vanitas whipped his head to the right, smirking as he looked directly at the other.  
  
“You heard me,” Ventus chuckled, “and I’m not saying it again,” he took his hand off of Vanitas’ shoulder and punched it lightly in a playful manner.

“When did you figure it out?” the dark-haired teen whispered. 

“A while ago,” Ventus responded at the same volume.  
  
“And you haven't stopped me...” Vanitas trailed off in awe. 

“Nah,” the golden-haired boy waved an arm, “disrupting you two would have upset Sora, he thought it was a game.”

Blinking, Vanitas stared for a moment, “Well. Yeah, that was the _point_ ,” he finally said, some venom leaking into his voice. 

Looking down, Ventus shuffled his feet in front of him, his face was riddled with guilt, and he didn’t want anyone to see it.

Vanitas’ eyes moved slowly down to the other’s feet, as the realization of what the other boy meant dawned on him. “You thought…” he about snarled as Ventus abruptly turned to him and held out his palms in surrender.

“We have been here for a _year now!”_ he continued in the same tone. “You could have helped at _any_ _point!_ ”

“I know! I know, but I… I’m sorry,” the blue-eyed teen refused to lock eyes with the other.

“You don't trust me,” his voice was thick with sadness, looking up he saw Ventus shake his head.  
  
“No…?” Vanitas whispered gently. “You don't trust yourself.”

Ventus closed his eyes and nodded his head just barely. Vanitas could feel his guild in the air. It hung around them like a fog. Sora felt a pull in his heart and turned to look at them from where he was lightly smacking a tree. All he could see was Vanitas in front with Ventus’ arms tight around him. They were both trembling slightly. He felt their sadness and looked at the wooden weapon Vanitas had given him as he wondered if he was the reason they were feeling this way.

|\|

Vanitas briefly explain the mock battle he wanted to do with Sora and already, Ventus was recoiling. Vanitas huffed a little, “C’mon...”

“No… not one of us,” Ventus insisted.

“Alright, I guess we could…” he tilted his head up as he tapped his own chin. “Riku…” he mumbled finally. 

”RIKU!” Sora shrieked with delight as he popped out of a nearby bush, startling both boys.

“Sora, what were you doing in there?”

“Um, uh,” the child looked up, searching for what to say, “looking for coconuts…” he rubbed the back of his head while looking down to hide his face.

“Looking for coconuts,” Vanitas repeated in disbelief, “Come on kid, have I taught you nothing,” he groaned while burying his face into one of his hands.

Ventus shot him a dirty look. Kneeling down to the child's level, he sought the truth, “Sora, why were you listening to us?”

Swaying back and forth, the small brunette begrudgingly answered: “You’re sad.”

“Sad?” it took a brief glance of concern at each other for the two to figure out what the young boy meant.

As they processed this, Sora blurted out, “Why are you sad?”

Ventus’ face held shock for a moment and then flattered. Vanitas was the one who spoke up, “We’re sad because it's empty here,” he gestured to the lone island, never changing, save for the occasional wind, and push and pull of the tide. 

“Oh,” Sora looked around almost ashamed for a moment and Ventus swung his head round to stare intensely, as he was sure that he was going to make Vanitas pay for eliciting this feeling from the boy.

Walking over to where Ventus was kneeling, he crouched down “But you can change that.”

“I can?”

“He _can_?”

“Uh, _yeah_ , we’re in _his_ heart,” turning to Sora, he continued, “If you want Riku here, all you need to do is think really hard of him.”

Nodding seriously, the little one closed his eyes and wrinkled his nose. “Is it working yet?”

Looking at each other for a brief moment, Ventus said no at the same time Vanitas said yes. They then proceeded to lightly smack each other, in a mock attempt at fighting. By the time a little Riku begin materializing, Vanitas had Ventus in a headlock and he looked up before tapping on the other arm to be let out. Vanitas took the hint and followed his eyes to a perfect replica of Sora’s friend.

“It worked!” Vanitas yelled as he shot up from the ground, pulling Ventus with him. Though the other had stumbled the black haired teen hit his back to balance him. 

Without warning, Riku rushed sora as a wooden sword materialized in his hand. Sora stumbled back, sidestepping clumsily. “Riku!” he exclaimed, dumbfounded. 

“Show me what you got, Sora,” the boy in question taunted while slipping easily into his battle stance.

|_|

Riku dropped his weapon immediately after Sora fell, running straight to him, asking if he was okay. Once Sora confirmed he was okay, Riku began fading into light while holding onto his hand. 

Swooping in next to him, Vanitas starts with offering praise, “You did good kid.”

“But I didn’t win...” the young child sniffled while wiping tears away with his arms.

“You held your own though,” the golden-eyed teen countered, hand hovering over the boys back, in case he were to fall. 

Ventus stepped in on his other side, placing a hand on his shoulder, “Yeah, you’re still learning,” he said softly. “Come on,” he whispered, “let’s go enjoy the rest of the day.”

|||

Vanitas stood leaning against the paopu tree while Ventus sat on it. The sun was descending downward at the pace of a supernova crashing into the world. The wind decided to rustle violently, blowing the boys’ hair harshly. 

“How long do you think we have?” Ventus spoke up after a moment, glaring at the setting sun as if it had personally offended him.

Vanitas looked at him before sighing sadly and looking down at the ground he was standing on with the same hatred in his eyes, “Not long.”

Sora held onto his wooden sword as he gazed out at the horizon, the sun was gone before he knew it. As his eyes moved toward the sky, he saw two bright objects there, one red and the other deep blue. Abruptly, another one fell from higher in the sky, but it never hit the water, instead, it halted next to the blue, claiming a spot there. Sora was now looking at a trio of stars, red, blue, and yellow.


End file.
